Dagger Tandem Sprayskirt Dagger Tandem Sprayskirt Urethane-Coated nylon pack cloth with an Adjustable bungee sleeve which fits around the cockpit rim. Two Adjustable drawstring waist tunnels for tandem paddling the Dagger "Bayou II" tandem kayak. Available in black color. reg. $97.50 CLOSEOUT model = final SALE $69.99 $69.99 Adventure GTX Sprayskirt for Necky Manitou II tandem -stern cockpit Adventure GTX Sprayskirt for Necky Manitou II tandem -stern cockpit Our new GTX fabric is Breathable AND it's also the most Waterproof. Rim grip technology keeps the skirt on your kayak when you need it. Double-stitched and sealed seams with an Adjustable Deck stay implosion bar keep you high and dry -sheds water and prevents puddles on your deck. Adjustable neoprene/velcro no-slip waist closure with removable suspenders means a great fit in all situations. Made in USA! Custom made for us by our good friends at Seals. reg; $125.

SALE; $109.95 Fits NECKY Manitou II tandem kayak -stern cockpit, with the seat moved to the rear. You can special order thru us if you need a skirt for solo paddling where the rear seat is moved forward. Order our size # 2.2 for the bow cockpit. Kayarchy - clothing & tow-belt (1)- the basics Go to top of chapter Go to next page Go to previous page In his classic book Living Canoeing (A&C Black, 1969) Alan Byde said anybody going kayaking "begins ... by getting wet ... Some have been known to say 'I don't intend to get wet', and really they believe it. My kind of canoeing soon disposes of fancy notions like that". Ours too. Kayaking clothing should keep you comfortable while you are in your kayak and active, even if you are soaking wet in a strong wind. It should also protect you from cold shock if you suddenly go for an accidental swim, and enable you to stay fully functional despite a 15 minute immersion during a rescue. See Cold Shock, Swim Failure & Hypothermia . Kayak instructors often advise that kayakers should "dress for immersion".

They don't mean you to wear clothing which would keep you comfortably warm if you spent several hours floating in cool water. Water can suck heat out of your body 25 times faster than air at the same temperature, and clothing able to resist that would be too hot and bulky for an active sport. Summer or winter, essential clothing consists of a spraydeck, a waterproof jacket, and a buoyancy aid. The average cool-climate kayaker will also want a wetsuit, wetsuit boots, and a few synthetic base-layer and fleece tops. By mixing them to suit the activity and the weather, you have cost-effective clothing which will keep you comfortable and safe all year round. Wetsuits are a bit sweaty and we discuss some alternatives below. In a competitive marketplace, manufacturers often add features such as pockets, pouches, hoods and hydration systems. Simple designs are fine and have less tendency to trap water when you are rolling up from a capsize. Base-layer and fleece garments can be washed in a machine. Other kayak clothing and equipment is just be rinsed in fresh water and hung up to dry. See Storing Kayak Clothing, Etc .

Spraydeck By sealing the gap between kayak and kayaker, a spraydeck (or spray skirt or splash deck) makes a kayak very seaworthy. It must stay in place even if hit by a big wave. Most sea kayaks have a rim around the edge of the cockpit (the coaming) which creates a U-shaped channel as in the picture below. Most spraydecks consist of a vertical tube of fabric for your waist, joined to a horizontal deck which is the same shape as your cockpit. The horizontal part has a stretchy edge to attach it to the coaming. This may be a thick elastic cord sewn to the edge or a solid rubber rand, glued on. There is also a grab loop at the front so you can get it off the coaming when you want to. Make sure it's on the outside when you put on the spraydeck. If you put it on with the release strap inside the kayak, you may find you are trapped after capsizing. The waist tube may have braces going over the shoulders to stop the deck sagging and collecting a pool of water just behind you, where it will probably trickle down your back. If too short, braces may cause your sprayskirt to pop off when you roll.

Floppy spraydeck Once upon a time, all spraydecks were made of nylon fabric coated with a thin layer of neoprene or PVC (vinyl). They didn't stay on very well, and collected a large puddle of water. They are still useful for kayaking on calm seas in hot weather. A one-size-fits-all floppy spraydeck with adjustable elastic can be a useful safety item for a group. High-tech spraydeck For our sort of sea kayaking you need a top-quality modern spraydeck made of a high-performance fabric so that it will stay solidly in place and waterproof whatever the sea does. The parts which grip the cockpit coaming or may get damaged in a deep-water rescue are usually painted with a layer of sticky black latex rubber. If you want a bombproof spraydeck you probably want it made of double-lined 4 mm wetsuit material with waterproof seams. One reason it stays on is that it stretches but not very much. If you struggle to get your spraydeck onto your cockpit coaming, try dunking it in the water a few times until it is soaked inside and out. Wetsuit material is stretchier when wet.

Waterproof kayaking jacket - the cag After the kayak, the paddle and the spraydeck which protects a kayaker up to the chest, a good waterproof jacket is the most important item of kayaking equipment. They are called paddle jackets, anoraks, anoraqs, tops or cags (short for cagoule). If the weather is nice you may leave it rolled up and pushed behind your seat, but there's a good chance you will want it at some point. A jacket must be made of waterproof material but not necessarily the most expensive available. See Breathable & Non Breathable Fabrics . The seams of the jacket must be waterproof, which in practice means they must be finished internally with a layer of tape. A jacket is unlikely to have the right shape and features unless it was specifically designed for kayaking. Design A cag with long sleeves will protect you from cold and sunburn . If you kayak in a cool climate you need skin-tight seals at the neck and wrists to keep water out. If your wrists and forearms get too cold, for example during a deep-water rescue, your hands will not function. See Cold Shock, Swim Failure & Hypothermia . Wrist seals provide good protection against this.

Cheaper jackets have seals of thermal stretch material . Probably a little water will get past them during a kayak session but that is not a problem. More expensive jackets have seals made of thin latex rubber which prevent any water entering but which need some care and will eventually need replacing. For latex seal maintenance, click here . If a jacket has really effective seals at neck, wrist and waist it's a dry cag or drytop. Kayaking cags are short so that you don't have a rolled-up sausage of loose fabric sitting on your spraydeck. They have something at the waist (a draw-cord, a belt or an elasticated hem) to keep water from flooding up into the jacket in waves or in a capsize. Some have a double waist so that one part of it goes inside your spraydeck and the other part goes over the top. Kayaking jackets don't generally have any thermal insulation but are worn over a wetsuit and base layer shirt and / or a synthetic fleece pullover. They seldom have a zip, other than a small one at the neck. The underarm area is cut generously, for unrestricted arm movement.

If you are out in cold, wet, windy conditions you lose a lot of heat from your head because because it is very exposed and the body doesn't have the option of reducing blood supply to save heat. This is a good argument for having either a hood on your jacket or a hat and/or a helmet . Most of the Kayarchy contributors like jackets without a hood but with a storm collar, which is a zip-up outer collar that acts almost like a scarf for your neck. Jackets with a hood are more expensive. Because a hood covers your ears it can be hard to tell if a gust of wind or a big wave is coming; and if you capsize the hood can fill with water and make it less easy to roll back up. Waterproof kayaking jacket - the tuiliq Greenlandic kayakers have always favoured the tuiliq or tuilik. This is a long waterproof jacket with a hood which fits closely around the face (but is drawn back at the sides so as not to impair vision), cuffs which can be tied closely around the wrist, and a waist which fits closely round the cockpit coaming so there is no need for a separate spraydeck.

In Greenland, especially during kayaking competitions, you will often see a tuiliq made of seal skin. For these you may still need a friend with strong teeth to tie the cord that keeps the cuffs a close fit around your wrists. Some small manufacturers now make them in materials such as thermal stretch or Gore-Tex . The seams are glued, taped or welded to make them completely watertight. Ideally, a tuiliq is designed and made so you can wear the hood down except in very bad conditions or for rolling practice. The thinner the material of which the hood is made, the more likely it is that you will be able to breathe, swallow and turn your head with it rolled down round your neck. A tuilik is a baggy fit except at the cuffs and the neck/face opening. This means that your arm movements are unrestricted. For really cold conditions a tuilik may be cut so baggy that it fits over the top of your buoyancy aid. A tuiliq must perform effectively as a spraydeck. It must not pop off if a wave breaks on you. See Spraydeck .

It must also have enough slack to let you do layback rolls which means the front is likely to hang down to your knees when you are walking around. Combined with an authentic Greenland kayak, a tuiliq opens the way to some additional techniques such as a different way to scull for support . If you wear a tuilik over fleece garments you will get less sweaty than if you are wearing an ordinary anorak. But the usual rule applies - dress for immersion. If you kayak on cool water you should consider wearing a wetsuit or drysuit under your tuiliq. If you go for an accidental swim, a tuiliq on its own will not prevent cold water reaching almost every part of your body at the same moment. See Cold Shock, Swim Failure & Hypothermia . Personal buoyancy Most sea kayakers wear personal buoyancy all the time they are on the water, and in many countries it is compulsory to do so. See Legal Requirements For Sea Kayaking . Buoyancy aids Sea kayakers usually prefer buoyancy aids designed for kayaking. This one has a small slab of closed-cell foam on the chest, another on the back, adjustable straps at the waist and sides, and shoulder straps. Some have a front zip.

Kayaking buoyancy aids should comply with the appropriate standard, such as the European Union standard CEN 393. A buoyancy aid for an adult kayaker usually has 50 to 75 newtons of permanent foam flotation depending on the weight of the paddler. It's not much - 50 newtons will only just float a weight of 5 kg. Buoyancy aids help keep you warm, compress your waterproof jacket so it cannot fill with water if you are upside down, reduce the likelihood of cold shock and are useful body armour if you collide with somebody while surfing. They help you float but they don't help you swim. The drag from a 50 newton buoyancy aid makes swimming very slow indeed. They usually have a small pocket on the chest which will hold a few small objects safely. A buoyancy aid pocket is a very good place to keep your VHF radio , with the reservation that large pockets may fill with water if you capsize and make it less easy to roll. The rescue features of a white-water buoyancy aid are not much use to a sea kayaker and an aluminium karabiner will quickly corrode solid at sea.

Lifejackets Lifejackets are less effective than buoyancy aids as body armour and thermal insulation, but they are better in rough water because they make you float higher. They may be better all round if you kayak mainly in hot weather or there is a risk you may spend a long time floating in the sea awaiting rescue. Be careful what you buy, because most modern lifejackets are, frankly, expensive rubbish with a very short life. See Kayarchy Shopping for an honourable exception. Waistcoat-style lifejackets like these ones (photo courtesy of US Coast Guard) are very compact and almost invisible in normal use. In emergency they can be inflated to give 150 newtons of buoyancy, mainly on the chest but with some round the back of the neck to keep an unconscious person floating on his back with his face out of the water. 150 newtons will float a weight of nearly 20 kilos and in some self-rescue techniques this advantage is used to lift a flooded kayak a little further out of the water. The other style of lifejacket is the Mae West type which has about 50 newtons of permanent foam buoyancy, mainly on the chest.

This one looks bulky because it's inflated to 150 newtons. It has a whistle on the left, an oral inflation tube on the right, and the short orange strap in the middle is a lifting becket which can be used to lift a casualty out of the water. The light-coloured patches are reflective tape. The yellow one is built to last, using military specification neoprene-coated nylon. Many lifejackets can be inflated by squeezing a lever to pierce a small cylinder of carbon dioxide. This isn't necessary for sea kayaking. The inflation mechanism will eventually corrode. If you accidentally trigger it after inflating the lifejacket by mouth, for example during a rescue exercise, the lifejacket may burst. Whistle A whistle permanently attached to your buoyancy aid is a good way of pointing out to your friends that you have capsized, failed to roll and are hoping to be rescued; or that you have stopped to help a member of the group who can't keep up. One-piece plastic whistles are small, cheap, unaffected by water, and loud.

For example, the Fox 40, Perry (now Plastimo) or Highlander whistles which are often supplied with life jackets and can be bought from a good kayak or camping shop, or a yacht chandler. See Kayarchy Shopping . This one, marked "3 ITW Nexus - EN ISO 12402-8" is easily the loudest we have tried. You can attach your whistle to your buoyancy aid with a thin cord, but keep it inside a pocket or it may get wrapped round your paddle so you can't roll. Enduro | Palm Equipment Read more Supratex neoprene Nylon reinforced neoprene that’s supple and stretchy, yet holds its shape, maintaining an excellent fit for your spraydeck. Elastic shockcord A bungee cord sewn to the spraydeck, which fits tightly around your cockpit rim. Shockcord spraydecks are very dry on a wide range of cockpit sizes, since they are highly stretchy, and they are easy to put on and quick to remove in an emergency. Read more O-ring seal Keep your deck up and water out. Our unique waist tube has a conical, grippy neoprene ring, cleverly made without a seam.

Kayaks, Kayak Equipment and Other Whitewater Craft Ron Watters From The Whitewater River Book: A Guide to Techniques, Camping and Safety. Copyright 1982 by Ron Watters. Revised 1996, 1998. Note that the Whitewater River Book is now out of print, but we are putting together an updated, on-line version of the book which will be available on our web page. Other chapters available include: Planning Multi-day Rafting or Kayaking Trips and Rafts and Drift Boats . Introduction I slipped my legs into the cockpit and eased myself down into the seat of the British made kayak. Torkel, a Norwegian kayaker who was showing us down one of the many fine whitewater rivers in his country, smiled a broad, toothy grin and said, "Remember this river starts out pretty good." "Pretty good" was Torkel's modest way of saying "big, hairy rapids." I was having grave doubts about the sanity of this broad-shouldered, smiling Norwegian.

We already had heard some chilling tales about destroyed boats and aborted trips on the Sjoa River (pronounced "Shew-ah"), which tumbles out of the glaciated Jotunheimen mountains of central Norway. When I had first met Torkel at a Norwegian railway station, we had talked about a trip that he taken to the United States a few years before. While there he had parachuted off the sheer face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The fact that he had jumped off a cliff three thousand feet above the valley floor did not do much to ease my nervousness as we pushed off. Torkel was not kidding. The first rapid that rushed out of sight from the put-in point was obstructed by boulders and holes and demanded quick maneuvers. The river narrowed and dropped through several large curling-back holes. At the first break in the rapid in a small calm sport, Barney my boating companion from the States, washed in behind us upside down, attempted several rolls and finally came up before the next series of rapids which splashed out of sight around the bend. The river continued its fast pace, with narrow chutes, boulder fields and drops into holes.

My reservations about Torkel faded as I watched him smoothly and cautiously gliding back and forth, searching out eddies and stopping safely above major rapids that needed scouting. The river allowed kayaking at its best, with lots of maneuvering, continuous whitewater along the river's entire length and good places to stop to scout ahead. The water was clear, pure enough to drink, and at times felt like champagne bubbles as we paddled through it. Waterfalls spilled over the canyon walls and lush verdant moss and vegetation clung to the polished boulders along the shore The maneuverable kayak and its relative, the decked canoe or C-1, are the types of craft that make it possible to experience rivers like Norway's Sjoa. Years ago, to the south of Norway in Europe, the North American Eskimo kayak was adapted and found to be superbly maneuverable in the shallow, rocky streams characteristic of the Continent. Now, well-constructed kayaks made of durable plastics are used to challenge all types of whitewater rivers throughout the world.

Kayaks and Decked Canoes The whitewater kayak has gone through a number of evolutions since the days when it was an Eskimo skin boat, sealed by the user's parka and utilized for hunting. Much of the early stage in the development of modern kayaks, the stage which took them from their hunting origins to today's glass and plastic boats, occurred in Europe. The result is a boat which is the lightest and the most maneuverable of craft for running whitewater. Kayaks are classified as either K-1, which is a kayak for one person, or K-2, which is a kayak for two people. Also as maneuverable as the K-1 is the decked canoe or C-1. The canoeist kneels and uses a single-bladed paddle while the kayaker sits with legs extended under the deck and uses a double-bladed paddle. A canoe is slightly larger and more buoyant than a kayak. Both are constructed with a rim around the cockpit on which a spray skirt can be attached, completely sealing out water. With a special technique, both crafts can be rolled back to an upright position if they are knocked over in whitewater.

(See the chart below for a generalized comparison of the two boats.) Pros & Cons of Kayaks & Decked Canoes: Kayak Design Volume. Kayak volume, measured in gallons, gives a general idea how buoyant and roomy a kayak is. Low volume boats (under 65 gallons) are good choices for women and children. Medium volume boats (around 70 gallons, give or take a few gallons) are good all around boats for men and women. They are responsive and play well. Large volume boats (85 gallons or more) are good for heavier boaters and those who will be going on multi-day trips. Rob Lesser, who has made a number of first descents of extremely difficult rivers, recommends that a kayaker in the 180- to 200-pound range use a larger-volume, more buoyant boat. A heavy kayaker makes a less buoyant boat ride lower in the water than it should, making the boat lose some of the handling characteristics it was designed for. Many boaters, particularly Europeans, feel that larger volume, more buoyant boats are best for rivers with big hydraulics. Larger volume boats also are more stable and good for beginners.

On the other hand, points out Ken Horwitz, new designs have changed hull design and deck-to-hull distances resulting in low and medium volume kayaks with a high degree of maneuverability- yet with reasonable buoyancy. A number of good kayakers running big water rivers feel that the extra maneuverability is an important safety factor. It should also be mentioned that one type of low volume boat, called a squirt boat, has become popular among kayakers and cancers. Sleek and barely large enough for a boater to squeeze in, they are highly unstable. Yet their instability is their attraction: they can be popped up, flipped end over end or maneuvered into other prized play positions. Product reviews, such as those periodically run in Canoe & Kayak Magazine and Paddler Magazine, classify kayaks according to low, medium, and high volumes, giving prospective buyers an idea of how much space is available inside. If you have the opportunity, by all means try different sized boats and select the one that works best for you. Rocker. If the hull of a kayak is viewed from the side, a wide arch is outlined beginning at the bow, curving down to the ground and back up to the stern. This curvature is called rocker.

On a simplistic level, the more rocker a boat has, the less the ends drag in the water and the easier it is to turn. It is possible to go overboard with too much rocker, but all whitewater kayaks are designed with a reasonable amount of rocker to enable them to maneuver adequately in rapids. Length and Width. In the past, the width and length of almost all boats conformed to standards set by an international racing committee: minimum width for kayaks is 60 centimeters (23.6 inches) and for C-1 s is 70 centimeters (27.6 inches). The length standard for a kayak is 4 meters (13.1 feet). Recreational boats, however, need not follow these standards and most manufacturers these days produce kayaks which are must shorter than racing standards. Other Design Features. Different types of kayakers prefer different designs for their personal style and the type of rivers they run. Rob Lesser recommends a kayak with a low-cut cockpit area. This allows the kayaker greater mobility for leaning, bracing, and rolling than a cockpit that is higher.

Lesser thinks the low cockpit is particularly important in the type of roll he advocates in which a boater lies back against the rear deck of the kayak at the conclusion of the roll. Most kayaks have now moved to a large cockpit which allows a boater to eject quicker from the kayak. With such cockpits the kayaker can pull up his knees and drop out. It has made kayaking much safer, particularly in situations where a boat is pinned against a rock. Choosing a Kayak for Your Needs. By using different shapes of hulls and decks, boat designers can create kayaks to fulfill radically different requirements. For instance, kayaks for down river racing (also called wild-water racing) are streamlined with typically deep V-shaped hulls and little, if any, rocker. Kayaks also are designed for whitewater slalom racing, sea cruising, and other purposes. But for recreational whitewater use, three categories are of importance: whitewater play-boats, whitewater touring kayaks, and squirtboats. Tom Derrer, a boat designer, explains that whitewater play boats are shorter boats with varying designs, which are ideally suited for surfing and playing in waves and holes in rapids. This type of boat has become the most popular kayak.

Squirt boats, mentioned previously, are an extreme type of play boat with the lowest volume. They can't carry much more than a sponge and sandwich and aren't for the beginner, but for the thrill seeker they can't be beat. Whitewater touring kayaks for years have been, and will continue to be, an all around boat for whitewater. With volumes in the medium and high ranges, they are good for day outings and can carry extra gear for overnight or multi-day kayaking Some people who plan to run minor whitewater and flat rivers or lakes may be interested in casual recreation boats. These boats can run, though sluggishly, up to class III whitewater. Whitewater slalom racing boats also should be briefly mentioned. They are designed specifically for slalom racing and thus are small, unstable and very responsive Kayak Materials At one time, almost all kayaks were made from fiberglass. With the introduction of plastic materials, that's changed. Recreational whitewater kayaks are now manufactured primarily from polyethylene plastic. Though polyethylene has taken over the recreational market, racing kayaks are still made of fiberglass (or fiberglass-like materials such as Kevlar).

As one would expect from a racing craft, glass boat lay ups are lighter and move faster across the water than polyethylene boats. But, the big draw back from a recreational standpoint is the durability of fiberglass. Fifteen or twenty years ago, kayakers spent about as much time repairing their boats as they did running rivers. Once during the fiberglass era, I had to do a quick repair of my kayak in a campground late one night on the way to the river. All I had for light was a dim flashlight, but I finally managed to get the patch in place. From then on as long as I used the boat, I could recognize that particular patch by the green pine needles perfectly preserved in fiberglass. I wasn't the only one Now and then I'd run into other boaters with bits of dirt, grass, or even dog hair preserved in the fiberglass It is nice not to have worry about repairs. In fact, plastic boats are so strong that they can be dropped, dragged and hammered in the most unmerciful ways without damaging them. When I finished running a river in the glaciated St. Elias Range of Alaska and Canada, I took my plastic kayak and folded it so it would fit in our pick-up plane.

The pilot took great delight in standing on the crushed boat while I wrapped duct tape around the ends to keep it from unfolding. Later in Juneau when it was unfolded, a crease was all that remained of the mishandling. One of the problems with plastic is the possibility that if the kayak is broached and wrapped on a rock, the pliable plastic will collapse, entrapping the paddler. To prevent entrapment, manufacturers have gone to larger cockpits and placed foam walls or pillars in the kayak. Pillars, however, are not total insurance that the boat will not collapse, but it is far better than no protection. Because of their importance, pillars should not be removed from a kayak. While entrapment is a potential danger in river running, most boaters using care on rivers will never experience it. Kayak manufacturers remind boaters to follow the acceptable safety practice of leaning into a rock. If for any reason the boat begins to get caught and tipped upstream or begins to wrap, the kayaker should bail out immediately. Bracing and Features Foot Braces. Every kayak should have foot braces, which are usually two small pedals mounted on each side inside the boat to enable the boater to brace himself securely.

Foot braces that can be adjusted by a spring-loaded lever are by far the best. Although rare now, every so often one runs into poorly designed braces which need to be adjusted by pins or screws and require a boater to crawl head first into the cramped kayak usually going through numerous contortions to try to adjust them. The Europeans have developed a bulkhead foot brace, which consists of foam covered aluminum or another material which is cut to fit inside the kayak. The bulkhead, on which the feet are braced, provides a secure platform for the feet. It prevents the situation in which the boat collides head on with a rock, knocking the kayaker off the foot peddles and forcing him farther in the boat. In severe cases, a kayaker can be jammed so tightly in his boat that he becomes entrapped. Normally, this situation is not a major problem, but these braces are not a bad idea for those planning to run rocky, steeply dropping rivers. Knee, Thigh, and Hip Braces. Various types of knee, thigh, and hip bracing systems are incorporated into kayaks to provide the boater with a tight, secure fit.

To paddle, roll, and run whitewater effectively, the anchoring system is essential. The tight fit transforms the boater's body motions to the boat. It is possible to add foam to existing kayaks to beef up the bracing system. River supply companies sell custom outfitting kits of foam padding which can be cemented in place so it conforms to the hips and the outside of the thighs. Additional padding extends from the knee braces to the inside of the mid thighs, creating an extensive bracing system and giving the boater superb control. The one caution with any bracing is to be sure you easily can come out of the boat if for some reason you need to. Seat. The seat should be comfortable and snug. In some kayaks, different-sized seats are available. If they are not, you easily can make the seat more snug by cementing in foam padding to the sides of the boat near your hips. Other Features. An important feature on all boats are grab loops on the bow and stern of the kayak, which are necessary for tying the kayak to cartop carriers or pulling a capsized boat to shore. A number of kayaks also have broach loops which is a cable on the top deck within reach of the boater.

It also can be used for rescue or with a lock, to help prevent theft. A very comfortable addition to a kayak is a padded back band which can snapped into place behind the seat. During a day of boating, instead of leaning back against the hard rim of the kayak, you rest against the padding of the back band. Look for a back band that can be moved out of place easily for gear storage. Building a Kayak If you don't mind forgoing the convenience and durability of plastic, you can build your own boat out of fiberglass. Kayaks made from fiberglass and its relatives such as Kevlar are lighter and faster than plastic boats. Once you get the hang of it, fiberglass is not a difficult medium to work with, and some kayakers still build their own boats. Now and then boating clubs have boat building workshops and clinics, and it is possible to do it on your own if you can borrow or rent a mold. Briefly, the process of building a kayak begins with several layers of precut fiberglass cloth placed on a waxed mold. Resin is mixed and brushed on, saturating the cloth. A deck and hull are formed in this manner on the mold, allowed to harden, and removed from the mold.

Then the deck and hull are seamed together and the cockpit rim, seat, and foot braces are attached. The best book available for building kayaks and canoes is Charles Walbridge's Boatbuilder's Manual. Walbridge has done a wonderful job of keeping up with the latest materials and techniques and you'll want to have a copy. Buying a Kayak Before making a purchase, check with kayaking friends. Try out different types of boats. How comfortable you feel and how well you are braced in a kayak determine how the boat will respond for you. For recreational whitewater, it is wise to stay away from the hot slalom racing designs or wild-water or down river boats (see the "Kayak Design" section earlier in this chapter) and stick with whitewater play-boats or whitewater touring kayaks. If you take lessons, usually whitewater schools have a different models of kayaks that you can try. Buying a used boat is a good way of getting started in kayaking without a large investment. Plastic boats have a long life, and even one that has been heavily used by the previous owner will have many years left. A plastic boat with the bottom deeply gouged may be still riverworthy but price should be accordingly adjusted.

One obvious defect you'll want to avoid is a leaky boat. It's not always apparent. To check for leaks, prop the boat up and fill it up with water from a garden hose. If it's a fiberglass boat, push on the hull and deck and see if any cracks show up. The fiberglass should flex and pop back in place. Reg Lake suggests putting your head inside a glass boat and holding it up to the sun. Flaws, fractures, and patches will show up as shadows. Sit in the boat. Does it feel comfortable? You can make it more comfortable by adding foam padding, but it will save you a lot of extra work if the boat feels good from the beginning. Kayak Paddles A kayak paddle is built with a blade on each end, offset 90 degrees or less to each other. The paddle must be rotated as the kayaker makes a stroke on each side. This arrangement helps cut down air resistance when paddling into strong winds and water resistance when paddling through big waves Blades. Kayak paddles also are constructed with flat or curved blades. The great majority of kayakers use curve blades, but there's a few of us out there who still prefer flat.

I like flat blades because there is no confusion about which side is the power face of the blade when paddling or rolling--and I feel my roll is more reliable and stronger with a flat-bladed paddle. Nevertheless, curved blades are the most popular paddle by far. They slice into the water smoothly and the curved face provides power for technical river running and playing. Curved blades are available in an assortment of different types of curvature patterns. A recommended type of curved paddle is the dihedral, and according to Rob Lesser is efficient and helps in rolling technique. Many curved blade paddles are offset less than 90 degrees which takes some paddling stress off the wrists and arms. Since the concave curve of the blade is the power face, this type can be confusing to a new paddler if he is disoriented underwater while getting ready for a role, but with a little practice, most beginning paddlers adapt easily. Curve-bladed paddles are manufactured with "left" or "right" control. As you turn the paddle shaft with each stroke, one of your hands consistently does the turning while the other allows the shaft to rotate.

If you turn it with your right hand, you are a right-handed paddler and need to buy a right-grip paddle. Left-handed paddlers use a left-grip paddle. The two are not interchangeable, and it is important to know the difference if you buy a curve-bladed paddle. Since left grip paddles are not all that common, Tom Wilson, a boater and designer, suggests at the onset that beginners should learn to "control" or "grip" the paddle with the right handle since the right-grip paddle is easier to obtain. Other kayakers believe the control hand is something that develops naturally and whatever comes naturally is the way to go. Wood or Synthetic. Wood kayak paddles are preferred by some paddlers because the wood feels good and has a warm touch, but they also demand extra care. Fiber-reinforced paddles that are made from epoxies, Kevlar, carbon fibers and other tough synthetics and that have wrapped aluminum shafts are among the strongest of paddles and require little care. Using injected, molded plastic paddles is a way to cut costs, but some of these paddles have breakage problems and they often do not feel so comfortable as other paddles. Shaft.

An important feature on any type of kayak paddle is an oval shaft. It provides a better grip than a round one and, by the feel, the paddler knows how the blade of the paddle is oriented as he makes strokes. I also prefer a shaft which is not slippery. Some shafts when wet practically pop out of your hands in waves, while the good ones are like rosin on a baseball bat and stay where they're suppose to be. Length. In the past the size of the paddle was judged by the height of the kayaker. That's still true to some degree, but things have charged. In the past sizing from short paddles to long paddles ranged as much as 20 centimeters. Now the range is within 6 to 8 centimeters, with the most common sizes being 200, 202, 204 and 206 centimeters. Generally, a shorter person will go with a slightly shorter paddle, but it is not a hard and fast rule. Some prefer a paddle size according to the type of water that they run, using shorter paddles for steeply dropping, obstructed rivers and longer paddles for big water.

Longer paddles, above the 206 size, are the best choice for flat water kayaking or sea kayaking where a long lever arm created by the paddle is an advantage. Overall, however, in whitewater kayaking the trend has been to shorter paddles. It's largely due to the popularity of play boating and the associated techniques of catching waves, surfing and doing endos. A shorter paddle can be rotated at a faster rate making it easier to move in and out of eddies and waves. A good starting size is a 204 centimeter paddle, and you may wish to go up or down according to your preferences. Spray Skirts A spray skirt fits around the kayaker's waist and is attached to the rim of the cockpit by means of an elastic shock cord or rubber gasket. The most common and most comfortable is made of neoprene, the same material used in wet suits, but nylon skirts also are available. Spray skirts with a rubber gasket provide a particularly tight seal around the cockpit to prevent water from entering the boat. Skirts are available in different waist sizes, and in the case of those with a gasket, they are also available in different cockpit sizes.

Those with shock cords are adjustable for differently sized cockpits, which is convenient if you will be paddling different kayaks. A double waisted spray skirt in which one waist goes under the lower flap of a dry top and one goes over, makes a particularly good seal. Spray skirts come in kits, or with some sewing knowledge, they can be made from waterproof nylon material. All spray skirts should be designed with a strap or cord on the outside that can be pulled to detach the spray skirt from the rim if it does not pop off when the boater is forced to eject himself from the kayak. Jamming normally is not a problem, but with any spray skirt, try it out several times to be sure it releases without a hitch. Helmets Helmets are a must for kayaking. When a kayaker flips upside down, his head is exposed to rocks before he rolls. In addition, a kayaker swimming a rapid requires head protection. A friend of mine tipped upside down in a very shallow rapid in low-water conditions. From above, I watched his upside-down kayak jerk up and down as his helmet banged over boulders on the river bottom. He eventually got out of his kayak and stood up in water shallower than his knees.

Because of his helmet, he did not have a bruise or scrape. Helmets also are increasingly being worn as a safety precaution by canoeists and rafters. When choosing a helmet for whitewater use, the following are some points to keep in mind: Choose a helmet that has a lining of crushable foam or closed-cell foam at least one-half-inch thick with up to an inch providing even more protection Many boaters advise against helmets with large holes in the shell, such as in the old-style hockey helmets once used for whitewater. Dick Held was on a trip where a stick penetrated one of the holes in the helmet of a kayaking companion, badly cutting him so that he needed stitches. The helmet should protect the forehead, temples, ears, and back of the head. Charles Walbridge, safety chairman of the American Canoe Association, explains that impact with river obstructions most likely will occur to the side of the head rather than directly to the top. The helmet should be comfortable and snug, and should not tend to come off the boater's head when he is doing rolls. A cheap temporary alternative to buying a helmet is to use a motorcycle or football helmet. They are heavy, but relatively safe.

Some boaters use rock climbing helmets, which are certainly better than the hockey-style helmets, but many climbing helmets leave the temple area exposed, and some have a tendency to roll off the back of the head, with the chin strap ending up around the neck of the boater. Flotation Bags Whitewater canoes and kayaks need flotation or they will sink. A variety of types of waterproof bags are available to provide flotation. For canoeing, large flotation bags are placed fore and aft. In addition to providing flotation, the bags help shed splashing waves, cutting down on the amount of water getting in the boat. Kayaks with foam pillars require a set of four narrow bags. Two bags fit on either side of the pillar in the rear of the kayak and two fit on either side of the front pillar. One special type of flotation bag, called a storage flotation bag, has an opening in which you stuff your gear for overnight or day trips. When sealed, the bag keeps the gear dry and provides flotation. I really recommend buying the storage type of flotation bag, since even for day trips it's nice to carry some extra warm clothing with you. With a storage bag you can do that. Flotation bags are available in lightweight nylon or vinyl.

The vinyl bags are cheaper, but the draw back is that they can be easily damaged. I have had lots of trouble with them and it's nearly impossible to fix a leak on the seam. If you have a pair, treat them like a baby. Break down Paddles On any kayak trip, it is a good idea to have one or more spare paddles available in your group. If you are not supported by rafts, it will be necessary to carry the spare paddle in the kayak special break-down paddles that detach in the middle are made for this purpose. Other Whitewater Craft Open Canoes. Increasing numbers of boaters have been pushing the limits of canoeing to an extent never believed possible. Even the Colorado River has been run in open canoes. The new ABS/Royalex and polyethylene canoes are extremely durable, and can be popped back in shape if dented. Canoes for whitewater should have high enough sides to keep large amounts of water from splashing inside. Some canoeists recommend fifteen-inch sides for whitewater. The bottom of the boat should not have raised keel strips and needs some amount of rocker for good turning.

The canoe should provide a bracing system so the canoeist can be secured in the boat, but also to be able to escape easily if the boat capsizes. Thwarts or seats should not be placed so low as to trap the feet. Finally, a canoe for whitewater should have extra flotation. Special large flotation bags are made for canoes--and some boaters even use large blocks of foam placed in the middle of the canoe. These are just a few suggestions I will leave discussion of canoe techniques to those much more qualified than I. Two excellent sources are The Complete Wilderness Paddler by James Dividson and John Rugge and the superbly illustrated Path of the Paddle by Bill Mason. Folding kayaks Folding kayaking were developed in Germany where people needed a portable boat that could be packed in a bundle and carried with them on trains to the river. Single and double kayaks are available, with the single kayak being more suited to whitewater. People have pushed harder rapids in folding kayaks, but class II and III waters are, in most cases, the limit. Generally, these craft are more suited to easy rapids and flat water. Inflatable Kayaks and Canoes.

Inflatable kayaks are surprisingly are very stable boats. Unlike a kayak or canoe, one can jump into an inflatable without much prior experience and do reasonably well in easy rapids. They are, however, sluggish, poor at turning into eddies, and not nearly so maneuverable in rapids as a hard-shelled kayak or decked canoe ISU Outdoor Program Links: Kayak Clothing Kayak Clothing There are several different approaches to kayak clothing and different people have different preferences but in the main they all try to consider 2 different and often opposite requirements. The first requirement is to keep you at a comfortable temperate whilst you are actually in the kayak and paddling away. This might be in calm inland conditions on a hot summer’s day when you’d possibly be too hot in even shorts and t-shirt. On the other hand you might be paddling in the open ocean in January at -5 deg c with a 20 knot wind blowing….. Now that's cold!!.

The second requirement to consider is that your clothing should be able to let you survive when it all goes wrong, the boat capsizes and you end up in the water , struggling to get back into your kayak, or you get separated from your kayak and you have to bob around in the water until someone hopefully rescues you. There are also several different types of kayaking with different considerations. River kayaking in white water could consist of several short bursts of activity in between which you return to the bank. The chances of capsize are significant and frequent and if kayaking in the winter months in the UK the water is usually not very much above freezing point. Sea Kayaking on the other hand could last all day and, on a good day, you might not end up in the water at all. There can be long periods of relaxed paddling with the occasional frantic moment when a wave hits you unexpectedly. If the weather picks up you might be in for a hard time battling waves and against the wind and tide. Knowing the weather forecast is a must in both planning your journey and planning your attire! If you capsize and you can't recover then you might end up in the water for an awful long time!

Kayak Clothing Types Wetsuits Shorts: Wetsuit Shorts are often worn in combination with a cag top. They can be ‘straight cut’ or ‘prebent’. Prebent shorts are specially shaped with a lower front and higher back so that they sit better when in the seated position. Sometimes they are called ‘seated shorts’. During immersion in cold water they will offer a degree of warmth around the area covered by virtue of the ‘wetsuit effect’ of trapping a thin layer of water around your body (For more on this see our ‘How wetsuits work’ article). Wetsuit Trousers: Wetsuit Trousers are essentially longer versions of wetsuit shorts and provide a bit more warmth in colder waters. Drysuits Kayak Drysuits are full length, boiler suit shaped garments that keep the wearer completely dry when immersed. Tight latex rubber seals fit tightly round the neck and wrists whilst watertight socks cover the feet. A watertight ‘dryzip’ allows the user to don the suit and seal themselves inside. Drysuits are normally ‘shell garments’ that require the wearer to wear additional warmth layers underneath in order to regulate temperature in line with the weather conditions.

The drysuit itself keeps out the water and provides a significant level of wind chill protection. Drysuit Variations: Some Drysuits feature other ways to close the neck. Neoprene neck seals or neck systems that can vent open are sometimes seen. These systems are rarely as effective as a latex seal in terms of being watertight however some users trade this performance feature in order to have a suit that can be opened at the neck in warm weather. Socks are normally made from either latex rubber (like the neck and wrist seals) or fabric material (Like the rest of the suit). In our experience latex socks are more reliable, are less likely to leak, and are easier to repair than fabric socks. Fabric socks are normally made from breathable materials, however, this benefit is normally last as wetsuit boots, that are normally worm on top of the socks, are not breathable, so almost all of this benefit is usually lost. Normal socks are worn inside the drysuit socks to provide warmth and comfort to the wearer. Neither latex nor fabric socks are very comfortable if not worn with a normal sock inside. Materials: Kayak Drysuits are broadly separated into 2 types; breathable and non breathable.

Breathable drysuits are made from materials that allow an amount of water vapour, but not liquid water, to pass through the material. The idea is that when you sweat, the warmth inside the suit turns the sweat to vapour which can then escape though the breathable material. Non breathable drysuits tend to be made of a rubber material that is sandwiched between 2 layers of fabric. The construction of these suits is normally similar to drysuits used in diving. Drysuit Undersuit: These are often made from fleece material and are normally one piece jumpsuits. A one piece garment is preferable to separate top and bottoms as it keeps the number of crossing layers at the waist to a minimum. Multiple layers at the waist can become restrictive and cumbersome with a tight spraydeck over the top so a single piece garment is significantly more comfortable. The single piece design also avoids cold spots where a gap may appear between the back of the trousers and the bottom of the jumper. Drysuit Undersuits should be warm enough to offer protection should prolonged immersion occur but not so warm as overheating will occur during normal paddling.

A 2 way zip on the front of the suit allows the relief zip in many drysuits to be used more easily. Dry Cag/Dry Top: Drycags are essentially the top half of a drysuit. They are jumper shaped and normally pull on over the head. When worn in a kayak the theory is that as long as you stay in the boat you will not get wet inside. The waist of the drycag overlaps the waist tube of the spraydeck and the spraydeck fits tightly over the cockpit rim of the kayak. If all these joins are watertight then no water should get into the kayak nor into the top itself thus you and the boat remain dry inside. Drycags are normally sealed at the neck and wrists in the same way as a drysuit. At the waist there is normally a way of tightening the waist so it marries up with a spraydeck. The effectiveness of the meeting of the waist and the spraydeck waist tube will effect how well the garment will keep water out at the waist. Some drycags have a double waist system where the cag has 2 layers of material and the spraydeck tube is sandwiched in between these 2 layers.

Sometimes smoothskin neoprene is used on the inside of these layers to improve the ‘seal’ between the cag and the spraydeck. A well performing cag / spraydeck combination may even keep you completely dry if you perform a manoeuvre such as an Eskimo roll. If the paddler has to exit the boat in an emergency and swims then normally the spraydeck will still be attached at the waist. The spraydeck and cag waist will be quite tight against the body but will not be sufficient to give a totally watertight seal in these conditions. Water will make its way up the waist and ultimately wet the wearer. So the name ‘drycag’ really only applies whilst the wearer remains in the boat. Spray Top: Spraytops are designed to reduce the chilling effect of cold wind, rain and sea spray whilst kayaking. They do not keep you totally dry and if you immerse then water will enter the garment by the neck and probably other entry points (wrists, waist, seams etc). Regardless of this , even when wet inside, these garments significantly reduce the effect of wind chill. Spraytops are often made from lower cost fabrics such as PU (Poly Urethane) coated nylon.

Some spraytops are made from breathable materials, but in the main, simple waterproof fabrics are used. Neoprene Tops: Ultra thin neoprene tops are a relatively new thing to kayaking and are similar in appearance to a rash vest. They are very stretchy and form almost a second skin round the paddler. They are gaining popularity with river kayakers in the warmer months. They are worm in place of a cag. Kayak Wetsuits: Full length wetsuits, whilst being warm, are relatively unpopular in kayaking. The tight rubber around the arms and shoulders can be restrictive for the repeated motion experienced in paddling. They are sometimes worn during surf kayaking though where the possibility of being repeatedly ‘thrashed’ by the waves can make a full suit more appropriate. Farmer john style wetsuits , so called due to their appearance similar to a farmer wearing dungarees, are more popular as they combine the benefits of a wetsuit on the bottom 2/3 of the body with unrestricted arm movement. Some of the warmth of a full wetsuit is sacrificed in order to free up the arms.

The combination of a farmer john style wetsuit and a spraytop is a common starting point for people taking up kayaking in milder months. Beginners tend to be in the water more often that experienced paddles so the wetsuit is a practical garment in these circumstances. If you go to a club or outdoor centre to learn kayaking you are likely to be issued with this combination for your early training. Many kayakers progress from this type of outfit onto drysuits / drycags etc and develop their own preferences for the type of garments they prefer. Spray Deck/Spray Skirts: Spraydecks (UK) or Sprayskirts (US) are garments made to keep water from entering a kayak. When kayaking a person sits in the middle of a large hole in the top of the kayak through which their legs enter the forward section of the boat. In the event of a capsize, rough weather or a simple wave lapping over the top of the boat, water will flood into this hole and enter the boat. As more water enters the boat the stability and buoyancy of the craft are affected.

As more water enters the boat it will sink lower in the water until eventually it may sink, or at least be completely swamped with water. It is much easier to keep water our, than to let it get in and try to remove it later and so spraydecks were invented to achieve this end. A spraydeck should be tight round the waist of the wearer and also tight round the rim of the kayak cockpit. A well fitted spraydeck will keep water out in all but the most demanding of conditions. A spraydeck should have a strong release handle that makes it quick and easy to detach it from the boat in an emergency. Licence to use this document. We often receive requests to use excerpts from our guides on other websites. We are happy for you to do this as long as you abide by the following condition. You must attribute the article to Lomo Watersport and include a link to our website at the bottom of every page containing the excerpt. The copyright of this document remains the property of Lomo Watersport

Question: What fits round your waist and round the rim of the cockpit of a canoe
Answer: Spray skirt